Morocco Agencies French Currency #411/421 (SG#202/211) 1924-1934 King George V Heads, Watermarked Block Cypher, Overprinted and Surcharged, Nearly Complete Mint OG to 1 Franc 50 Centimes, Including An Extra Unlisted Shade of the 15 Centimes F-VF OG

A selection of 10 fine and very fine OG stamps from the 1924-1934 Block Cypher King George V Issue of Great Britain, which has been overprinted and surcharged in French Currency for use in Morocco. The stamps are complete from the 5 centimes to the 1 franc 50 centimes, except for the 1 franc, with an additional unlisted shade of the 15 centimes.

This issue in Great Britain is listed with many, many shades in Gibbons, due in large part to the interruptions in supplies of ink that occurred during WW1, as most of the dyes were originally sourced from Germany, and substitutions had to be made during the war. The result was an issue that is one of the best for the lover of shades. Of course, all the GB offices that used the basic issue with surcharges and overprints will exist with the same range of shades as the basic stamps, and for some of these there should very likely be a premium, as some of the shades are scarcer than others. Even after the war, and into the Block Cypher issue the shades persist.

Gibbons lists these stamps at 60.6 pounds (approx. $121.20) as basic stamps for mint OG. The stamps offered here grade between 65 and 84 as follows:

Centering/Margins 35/70, 40/70, 45/70, 50/70 and 54/70

Paper freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of visible paper flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 10/10